Jitensha
by creamXgrim
Summary: [Sheith; AU; oneshot] The warm and cozy story of two childhood friends who found love over a bicycle ride.


_Jitensha_

 _X_

Shiro's always liked the freedom of the sky, of flying higher than even the birds and seeing everything from a different, wider point of view - it's what drove him to pursuit a career in the Air Force. But there was something that the skies could not do for him. There was another form of peace, of childishfreedomthat he could only achieve when he rode his bicycle.

The wind. Thefeelingof the impalpable element, without a glassy shield impeding its fresh, cool touch. It was like flying on the ground, without the restrictions an airship would offer.

His body. The flexing of muscles, the stretching of limbs, theenergythat seemed to run through his veins as he pedalled; it was vitality that seemed to be endless. It gave himlife.

And then,

Keith.

Just, Keith.

He never let Shiro ride alone. Being alone was good, in a way, when Shiro was back home or at the garrison, with thousands of things to do, and books to read, and lessons to study, but the liberty that came with riding a bicycle was absolute. His mind became a blank canvas.

In a blank, empty mind, a lot of things can fit. And they're not always nice.

He never told Keith about it - about his thoughts and how sometimes they went spiraling downwards, with the what ifs, the could haves, the I can'ts, yet it seemed like he's always known. Maybe Shiro let it show on his face. Maybe Keith was just sharp like that. But the fact was, he always called Shiro to chill on the woods together, bring over some snacks, joke around, and he was always at the ready when Shiro called him instead.

The young cadet liked to think it was because Keith was eager for their alone time.

Not thathewas.

Maybe just a little.

Keith made him feel at ease; he's always had, so it made sense that Shiro would look forward, ifjust a little, to spending time with him. He was more excitable when they were younger, with Keith the size of a bean sprout holding tightly to his shirt not to get lost, only to fight off a small snake the very next second, to protect his older friend.

Even when his mother left, Keith stood strong, in his own way. "I don't want to make Shiro worry," he had said.

Thus, as the protective friend he was, Keith would never leave Shiro alone with his thoughts, even if he didn't know exactly what they were about. Knowing they were there was enough.

And Shiro, well, he blamed his musings on his own stupidity. Hisdistraction, if one could call it that. They rode towards the forest, laughing and talking like they've had for the past who-knows-how-many years, when Shiro committed the indescribablysillymistake of looking at Keith as he laughed.

There was so much wind on Shiro's face, yet he feltnoneon his skin, and that was exactly how much reached his lungs. Nothing.Nada.The twin organs were suddenly useless; mere husks of their former oxygen-filtering glory. His breath was all gone,lost. Lost in Keith's happiness, in the sound of his laugh and the way it showed in his face. His lips curled up like a blossoming flower, showing off the whitest of pearly teeth. His chest heaved up and down as he struggled to take breaths amidst the laughing, and a healthy flush spread over his cheeks.

Shiro's own cheeks heated up, as did everything he could count as being his body. Things he didn't know exist, too. And it only got worse when his eyes found Keith's, two perfectly polished onyxes that shone with happy tears that clung to his lashes - then it was chaos, and it washorror; Shiro's heart didn't know if it should beat or halt, or do both at the same time, or just give up completely and buy a one-way ticket to Jupiter. Keith's hair swaying wildly in the wind was the only thing reminding Shiro that they were still moving, that time hadn't actuallystopped. They werethere.Together.

And that laugh, it was forhim.

Shiro's hands got cold and clammy, and his body forgot how to follow his brain's instructions - not that it would have mattered, with how it had turned to goo. It didn't even immediately detect that he was no longer staring at Keith, but rather at the sky.

He blinked.

Staring at thewhatnow?

Keith's voice resounded in his ears as Shiro fought to make sense of what was happening, and to restart his stubborn brain from wherever it decided to hide in.

He wasn't moving anymore, for sure. His back felt icy cold, and his body hurt as much as being stabbed in the face by a fork, but it was agiant, spiked fork and it was shoved into his spine. Hell; just, being alivehurt. He couldn't breathe still, and guessed it was for a completely different reason than before - not because Keith was too beautiful for him to function properly, but rather because he justcouldn't.No oxygen, period.

Well then, hedied.Evidently.

But Keith appeared in his line of sight and the world instantly became less pessimistic, and more relieving, even cozier. It was almost perfect.

Shiro died, but he was inheaven.

"The hell got you so distracted that you fell?" Keith asked with a grin, as he gently helped Shiro sit up. The young cadet placed a hand on his forehead and groaned in pain - did he fall on his head of all places?

"Fell? From heaven?" Shiro mumbled, looking around - just how much did they ride while he daydreamed? They were practically entering the forest already.

"No, from yourbike."

"Uhhhhhhmmm."

Keith quirked an eyebrow at the monosyllable, and laughed shortly. "Did you hit your head when you fell? You're looking at me real funny."

"It's because you're funny," Shiro tried, guessing that his current lack of breath was again related to Keith. He was too close for comfort, yet too far away, and Shiroalmostcouldn't refrain from reaching up to touch the other's face.

"...why are you touching my face?" Keith asked silently, almost hesitantly.

Shit.Shit.

Shiro stuttered. The blush in Keith's cheeks was all too distracting, and his skin was so warm, and his hair so soft, and his lips so…

So…

Perfectly...

Sweet.

The young cadet opened his eyes, and saw Keith's. They were so close he could see the pupils expanding and compressing, and how a deep blue nebula danced close to the irises. Shiro let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Your eyes are blue," he whispered.

Keith blinked once, then twice, then gave a long and beautiful laugh that seemed to come from deep inside his core, and was incomparable to any sound Shiro's ever heard. The student, chuckling, rested his head on Shiro's shoulder. "We just had our first kiss andthisis the first thing you tell me?"

Shiro mumbled two or three incoherent syllables, unable to make sense of his own thoughts as his eyes took in all the joy that danced over Keith's face.

"You're beautiful," he managed to say after forcing his neurons to the limit, "And I want to stay like this forever," he added.

"Nothing else?" Keith pushed.

Shiro resisted a shit-eating grin, and hummed as if he were deep in thought. "I think I hit my head."

"Jerk," Keith joked, punching Shiro on the shoulder before staying up and helping the young cadet to his feet. "I hope you'll enjoy walking all the way back. Your bicycle's done for." As if to prove a point, Keith pointed towards the previously-bike, currently-scrap-metal mess that laid on the ground.

"What, you're not giving me a ride?"

"Nope," Keith says with a grin, hopping on his own bike and giving Shiro a smug look.

The cadet smiled, approaching, and trapped Keith by placing both his hands on either sides of his body, on the handle and behind the seat. "Not even if I say you're really cute?"

"You think I'm that easy? You disappoint me,Takashi," Keith provoked, stealing a small chuckle from the cadet.

"Oh, tough cookie, are you?" Shiro leaned in closer, until their noses touched, and whispered against Keith's lips, "And what if I say I love you?"

He guessed Keith was expecting that - it was only obvious with how much the student teased him - yet when the words left Shiro's mouth, Keith entered a contemplative silence, with the blues and the blacks swirling inside his eyes, depicting a turmoil that most certainly occurred in both of their chests. Ultimately, Keith's peach-pink lips curled up into a smile, and he closed in the distance between them to place another soft, feathery kiss to Shiro's mouth.

"You convinced me," he said softly.

"I'm very argumentative. Aren't you happy you have a boyfriend like me?"

Keith half-snorted, half-laughed as Shiro adjusted himself on the back seat of the bike and gave a small peck to his neck. "So you're my boyfriend now? Just like that?"

"Mmhm. Any complaints?"

"Yes. You're heavy," Keith mumbled as he set out; the bicycle swayed to the side before finally stabilizing. "But I guess I need the workout if I want to be a cool pilot like you."

"You can be better than that. You're incredible, Keith."

"Make me embarrassed one more time and you'rereallywalking the way back."

"But I love you," Shiro pouted playfully.

"I hope you have your running shoes on."

Shiro laughed. There was a pause, and then,

"...I love you too, Shiro."

The cadet rested his chin on Keith's shoulder, closing his eyes to take in the cool breeze, and the soft tickling of his - he smiled -lover'shair on his cheeks.

This was peace, indeed.

 _X_

 _Thank you so much for having read! I hope you have a wonderful, happy week, whoever and wherever you are! 3_

 _X_

 _TYSM @RETROCORGI FOR HELPING ME ILYSM BB 3_

 _X_

 _Visit my Tumblr for more Sheith!_

 _@creamXgrim_


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